Nonrepeat clutch tripping mechanism for telegraph page printer



y 1'9, 1964 A. A. HAGSTROM 3,133,988

NONREPEAT CLUTCH TRIPPING MECHANISM FOR TELEGRAPH PAGE PRINTER FiledDec. 14, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ARTHUR A. HAGSTROM ATTORNEY y19, 1954 A. A. HAGSTROM 3,133,988

NONREPEAT CLUTCH TRIPPING MECHANISM FOR TELEGRAPH PAGE PRINTER FiledDec. 14, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ARTHUR A. HAGSTROM ATTORNEY y19, 1964 A. A. HAGSTROM 3,133,988

NONREPEAT CLUTCH TRIPPING MECHANISM FOR TELEGRAPH PAGE PRINTER FiledDec. 14, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 e2 27 1 lol 66 63 I00 INVENTOR ARTHUR A.HAGSTROM 52-" .ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,133,988 NQNREPEAT CLUTCHTRIPPING MECHANISM FDR TELEGRAPH PAGE PRINTER Arthur A. Hagstrom,Hoifrnan Estates, 111., assignor to Teletype Corporation, Skokie, 111.,a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 14, 1961, Ser. No. 159,240 8Claims. (Cl. 178-17) This invention relates to keyboard controlledprinting telegraph transmittting apparatus and more particularly tomechanism selectively operable to permit or prevent repeatedtransmission of permutation code signals representative of a characterupon the operation of a key in the keyboard representative of saidcharacter.

A primary object of the invention is to improve and simplify keyboardcontrolled telegraph transmission.

Another object of the invention is to improve keyboard controlledtelegraph transmission by providing a simplified clutch trip mechanismfor them.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a reliablemechanism for tripping the clutch of a keyboard controlled telegraphsignal transmitting apparatus.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide the simplestpossible mechanism for tripping the transmitter clutch of a printingtelegraph apparatus and preventing accidental repetition of thetransmisson of a selected code combination while still selectivelypermitting the repeated transmission of a selected code combination.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention a keyboardcontrolled printing telegraph apparatus is provided having a pluralityof permutatively settable code members which are actuated by keys whichclose contacts selectively in accordance with the code for selectivelycompleting circuits to contact segments of a distributor and wherein auniversal control member is arranged to be operated each time any one ofthe keys in the keyboard is operated for initiating a cycle of operationof the distributor by actuating a clutch trip lever to connect thedistributor to a power source and wherein the clutch trip mechanism isnormally blocked against operation and is released for operation andthen automatically restored to blocking position through a series ofsimple levers which may be disabled upon the operation of a special keyin the keyboard to repeat the transmission of a selected character.

A complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to thefollowing detailed description when considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a printing telegraph apparatus having akeyboard and provided with a selectively operable control mechanismcomprising the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken through the keyboardadjacent to the right end thereof as viewed from an operators position;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view taken substantially along the line 33 ofFIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows, parts being broken away, moreclearly to illustrate the apparatus behind them;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view showing some of the parts shownin FIG. 3 in their operated positions;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view taken substantially along the line 55of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view showing some of the repeat controlling partsin perspective, and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken just behind the distributorand showing part of the clutch tripping and resetting mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference charactersdesignate the same parts throughout the several 3,133,988 Patented May19, 1964 views and referring particularly to FIG. 1, it will be seenthat a keyboard 11 is provided that is designed for utilizationprimarily in a printing telegraph page printer which includes inaddition to the keyboard, a main casting 12 on which there are suitablymounted a distributor 13, a platen assemblage 14 and a type wheelassemblage 15. The distributor preferably is of the type described indetail and claimed in the copending application of K. Alonas, A. A.Hagstrom and B. J. Sobczak, Serial No. 159,328, filed December 14, 1961,the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference insofar asnecessary to afford a complete understanding of this invention.

The keyboard 11 may be used, simply as a transmitter controllingkeyboard, but as pointed out hereinbefore, it is primarily designed foruse with the page printer illustrated in FIG. 1, which in addition toeffecting transmission of a message prints a monitor copy of the transmitted message by utilizing the platen assemblage 14 and type wheelassemblage 15. These assemblages may be operated under control ofsignals generated by the distributor 13 to print a home or monitorrecord of any message transmitted by the distributor 13 under control ofthe keyboard 11.

The specific type of page printer with which the present invention ispreferably used, is disclosed in detail and is claimed in the copendingapplication of W. J. Zenner, Serial No. 159,330, filed December 14,1961, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by referenceinsofar as it is necessary to an understanding of the present invention.Similarly, the keyboard mechanism disclosed herein is disclosed indetail and claimed in the copending application of L. C. Anderson Jr.and A. A. Hagstrom, Serial No. 159,324, filed December 14, 1961, whichis also incorporated herein by reference insofar as necessary to providea complete understanding of the present invention.

In the keyboard there are provided a plurality of character keys 16having keytops 17 attached to key stems 18 which are formed integrallywith cross members 19 and with depending portions 211. The cross members19, as viewed in FIG. 2, are each provided with a notch 26 which servesto hold the keys in position in a box-like structure 24 which forms themain supporting framework for the keys in the apparatus. The box-likestructure 24, as is disclosed in greater detail in the aforementionedapplication to L. C. Anderson and A. A. Hagstr om, comprises a sheetmetal blank having a front wall 27, a rear wall 28 and a bottom 29 andhas a series of slots 31) with closed ends and a series of open endedslots 31 (FIG. 3), formed in the front and rear walls 27 and 28,respectively. The slots 36 and 31 alternate throughout most of thelength of the front and rear walls 27 and 28 in such a manner that aslot 30 in the rear wall will be directly opposite a slot 31 in thefront wall and vice versa. This box-like structure with slots in itcooperates with a top plate 37 in guiding the keys forvertical'reciprocation. The depending portions 21) of the stems on thekeys extend through slots in the bottom 29 of the box-like structure 24and are normally held in an upward position by leaf springs 25,individual to them, which are suitably fixed t0 the under side or bottomof the structure 24.

The front and rear walls 27 and 28 of the box-like structure 24-, inaddition .to serving as guides for the keys 16, also support a pivot rod38 on which there are positio-ned a plurality of T-le-vers 39. There aretwo of the pivot rods 38 provided, one adjacent each end of the box-likestructure 24, and only 'one of these pivot rods has been shown. T-levers39 are mounted on both of the pivot rods 33 and a pair of the T-levers39, one of which is positioned at each end of the box-like structure 21-, serve to support and guide a pair of code bars 40 and 41 and a tiebar 42. All of the T-levers 39 are of exactly the same construction andeach of them has a bearing aperture 43 FIG. 6) for receiving the pivotrod 38 on which the T-levers are mounted whereby the T-levers 39 arereadily oscillatable about their respective pivot rods 38. Each of theT-levers 39 as illustrated in FIG. 6 is provided with a pair of code barpivot arms 44 and 45 formed on it and the code bar pivot arms 44 and 45have code bar pivots 4'7 and 50 projecting from them for supporting thecode bars 40 and 41, respectively. Each of the T-levers 30 also has atie bar pivot arm 46 having a tie bar pivot 51 extending from it.

The construction of these T-levers is described in greater detail andclaimed in the aforementioned copending application of L. C. AndersonJr. and A. A. Hagstrom and as clearly described therein the T-levers sosupport the code bars 40 and 41 and the tie bar 42 that when one of thecode bars 40 or "41 is pushed downwardly due to the operation of acharacter key 16 the other one of the code bars will be moved upwardly.The code bars 40 and 41 have coded projections 49 on them whereby, whena particular character key 16 is actuated by an operator, the code bars40 and 41 will be permutatively actuated to either release or flex acontact spring 48 associated with it.

The operation of the keys 16 in the keyboard will control the operationof the contact springs 48 in the same manner as described in theaforementioned copending application of L. C. Anderson, Jr. and A. A.Hagstrom. The contact springs 48 are suitably mounted on a block ofinsulating material 52 in the manner described in the copendingapplication of A. A. Hagstrom, Serial No. 159,228 filed December 14,1961, now Patent No. 3,084,- 218. After a code combination representinga character has been transmitted by the distributor 13 in accordancewith the setting of the contact springs 48, the contact springs are allrestored to an unoperated position, as indicated in FIG. 3, by a contactspring restoring bail 53 which is pivoted for oscillation in the frontwall 27 and rear wall 28 of the box-like structure 24. This bail 53 hasan arm 61 carrying a stud 62 which is entered into a suitable aperturein a restoring lever 63 and this restoring lever 63 has a portion of itbearing against the pivot rod 38 whereas the lower end of it slidesagainst the right edge of the bottom 29 of the structure 24. Therestoring lever 63 is normally urged upwardly by a contractile spring 64to the position shown in FIG. 4 where a lip 65 on the lever 63 willengage the bottom surface of the bottom 29 of the box like structure 24.In the unoperated condition of the apparatus the restoring lever 63 isheld in the position shown in FIG. 3 by a clutch trip lever 66 whichengages a projection 67 of the restoring bail 63. The clutch trip lever66 is pivoted on a shaft 68 suitably supported in the apparatus and isurged to rock in a clockwise direction (FIG. 2) by a contractile spring69.

The clutch trip lever 66 has pivotally connected to it a clutch triplink 70 (FIGS. 2 and 7) which is in turn pivotally connected to atripping lever 71, that is pivoted on a clutch trip shaft 72. Thetripping lever 71 has a reset extension or restoring arm 80 formed on itand also has a stop bail actuating arm 81 formed on it. The stop bailactuating arm 81 rests against the web portion of a stop bail 82 whichhas formed on it a clutch stop 83 that is carried in the path of aclutch shoe 84. The stop bail 82 is urged to rock in a counterclockwisedirection (FIG. 7) about the shaft 72 by a contractile spring 85 tocarry the clutch stop 83 into the path of the shoe 84 thereby todisconnect a clutch cam disc 86 from a distributor drive shaft 87. Thisclutch mechanism is of the type shown and claimed in the patent to A. N.'Nilsen et al. No. 2,568,259, issued September 18, 1951.

When the clutch trip link 70 is moved to the left, FIG. 7, it will,through the tripping lever 71 and stop bail 82, move the stop 83 out ofthe path of the shoe 84 to initiate a cycle of rotation of the shaft 87by interconnecting the shaft with a gear 88 which is connected to amotor 89 (FIG. 1) by suitable gearing 90. This gearing also drives amain power shaft 91 which is the same as the main power shaft 39 shownin the aforementioned application of W. J. Zenner. From the foregoing itis believed to be apparent that each time the clutch trip link 70 ismoved to the left a cycle of rotation of the distributor shaft 8 7 willbe initiated. Near the end of the cycle of rotation of the clutch camdisc 86 and the shaft 37 a restoring roller 92 on the cam disc 86 willengage the reset extension or restoring arm to rock the tripping lever71 counterclockwise thereby to permit the clutch stop 83 to move backinto the path of the shoe 84.

The actuation of the clutch tripping lever 71 to trip the clutch 86 iseffected each time a key 16 in the keyboard 11 is depressed and thisoperation is initiated through the oscillation of a universal bail 98.This universal bail 98 has a pair of forwardly extending arms 99 formedon opposite ends of it and each of the arms 99 has a suitable aperturein it for receiving a cooperating projection 100 that extends from aside wall of an aperture 101 formed in the front wall 27 of the box-likestructure 24. The projections 100, which are at opposite ends of thekeyboard, serve as pivots for pivotally supporting the universal bail98. The bail 98 extends across the width of the keyboard transversely ofthe cross members of the keys 16 and will be rocked about theprojections 100 in a counterclockwise direction (FIG. 2), each time akey 16 in the keyboard 11 is depressed. The universal bail 98 has aforwardly extending lip 102 formed on it (FIG. 2), which extends over anarm 103 of a trip lever 104. The trip lever 104 is of a construction asbest illustrated in FIG. 6 and has a horizontally extending arm 105formed adjacent its bottom end and has a laterally extending arm 106 inaddition to a shaft engaging portion 107. The trip lever 104 ispivotally mounted on the shaft 38 and is normally urged to rock in acounterclockwise direction (MG. 4), by a contractile spring 108.

When the trip lever 104 is suspended on the pivot rod 38, the end of thehorizontally extending arm 105 will be aligned with a bent-over portion113 of an intermediate lever 114 that is urged by a contractile spring115 to move downwardly and to oscillate in a counterclockwise direction(FIG. 4) about the pivot rod 38. The bentover portion 113 of theintermediate lever 114 not only lies in the path of the horizontallyextending arm 105 of trip lever 104 but extends across the edge of ablocking lever 116, so that, when the trip lever 104 is rocked clockwise(FIGS. 3 and 4), it will rock the intermediate lever 114 clockwise, andthe intermediate lever 114 will rock the blocking lever 116 clockwiseagainst the action of a spring 117 attached to the blocking lever 116.The contractile springs 115 and 117, in the normal unoperated positionof the universal bail 98, will hold the blocking .lever 116 and theintermediate lever 114 in the position shown in FIG. 3 where the lowerend 109 of the blocking lever 116 will lie in the path of the clutchtrip lever 66 and will prevent the clutch trip lever from rockingclockwise (FIG. 2), about its pivot shaft 68 under the influence of thespring 69. The trip lever 104 is biased in a counterclockwise direction(FIG. 4) by its spring 115 and the arm 103 on it urges the universalbail 98 to the position shown in FIG. 3.

Each of the T-levers 39, as described hereinbefore is provided with atie bar pivot arm 46, the lower end of which is movable across the pathof the trip lever 66 and when the T-levers have been set in theirselected positions under control of the keys 16 of the keyboard and thecode bars 40 and 41, they will be locked in those positions by the triplever 66 when it rocks clockwise (FIG. 2). Thus, when the trip lever 66is released by blocking lever 116, it will move into position to blockaccidental displacement of the T-levers 39 until the code signal hasbeen transmitted by the distributor 13. The distributor 13 (FIG. 1), isprovided with a stop segment 122, a start segment 123 and six codesegments 124 for controlling the transmission of a six-unit code in themanner commonly used for a sixth level shift modification of thewell-known Baudot code.

As is usual in single revolution clutch mechanisms the clutch trip link70 will be drawn to the right (FIG. 7) by the restoring arm 80 afterhaving been moved to the left to trip the clutch and in being restoredto its right-hand position just slightly beyond the position shown inFIGS. 2 and 7, it will reset the entire mechanism for another cycle ofoperation by sliding the left end (FIG. 2), of the lever 66 down pastthe end 109 of the blocking lever 116 whose spring 117 will move theblocking lever back to the blocldng position shown in FIG. 3. When theclutch is tripped, it will supply power to drive the distributor shaft8'7 through a single cycle of rotation thereby to rotate a distributorarm 132 mounted on the shaft 87 through one cycle of rotation. This willcause the distributor 13 to transmit pulses representative of apermutation code out, onto a signal line (not shown), or to a selectormechanism (also not shown), for controlling the operation of the typewheel assemblage 15.

The permutation code signals transmitted by the distributor 13 areselectively controlled by the plurality of contact springs 48 mounted inthe contact block 52. which has been forced into contact block mountingslots 133 formed in the front and rear walls 27 and 28 of the structure24 in the manner described in the copending application of L. C.Anderson Jr. and A. A. Hagstrorn mentioned hereinbefore. The contactsprings 48 are urged to engage a common contact bar 135 by coiledsprings 136 (FIG. 3) individual to them and will be blocked fromengagement with the common contact bar 135 by surfaces 134 on theT-levers 39 which have been rocked to one position but will be permittedto engage with the common contact bar 135 where the code bars 40 and 41have been moved by the keys 16 to rock the T-levers 30 to their oppositepositions. The common contact bar 135 is interconnected through a wirein a cable 138 to a power source (not shown). The contact springs 48 areconnected through wiring in the cable 138 to the code segments 124 ofthe distributor 13 and when any of the contact springs 48 are permittedby their associated T-levers 39, to engage the common contact bar 135they will connect the power source through brushes on the distributorarm 132 to a common contact ring 137 which is in turn connected to thesignal line and to the selector mechanism (not shown).

As soon as any key 16 on the keyboard is operated, other than a repeatkey or a shift key, to be described more in detail hereinafter, theclutch trip lever 66 will be released and will rock clockwise (FIG. 2)to permit the restoring lever 63 (FIGS. 3 and 4) to move upwardly underthe influence of its actuating spring 64 until the lip 65' engages thebottom 29 of the box-like structure 24. The bail 53 is provided with acontact spring engaging portion 139 that extends transversely of all ofthe contact springs 48 and when the apparatus is in the conditionillustrated in FIG. 3, this contact spring engaging portion 139 willhold all of the contact springs 48 out of contact with the commoncontact bar 135. At the end of a cycle of rotation of the distributorshaft 37, the clutch trip link 70 will be moved to the right (FIG. 2)and will restore the restoring lever 63 to the position shown in FIG. 3.However, as soon as any one of the signal transmitting keys 16 in thekeyboard is operated, the lever 63 will be released by the clutch triplever 66 and will permit the spring 64 to move the lever 63 upwardly tothe position shown in FIG. 4 to move the portion 139 of the bail 53 in aclockwise direction (FIG. 4) to release the contact springs 48 forselective engagement with the common contact bar 135.

The keyboard 11 is provided with a repeat key 140 and shift keys 141(FIG. 2) which do not affect the signal transmission in the same manneras the remainder of 6 the keys in the keyboard and consequently, thesekeys and 141 are of slightly different construction than the other keysin the keyboard but they are guided for reciprocation in the same manneras the remaining keys in the keyboard.

One other key in the keyboard 11 is also slightly different from thekeys 16 and this is the space key or bar 142 which has a stern 143 thatis slidably mounted in a tab 144 formed out of the front wall 27 of thebox-like structure 24, which tab is provided with a suitable slot forthe reception of the lower end of the stem 143. A crossbar 145 isconnected to the stem 143 and extends across the keyboard to a pair ofcross-members 146 (see FIG. 2) positioned toward the opposite ends ofthe boxlike structure 24 and each of these cross-members 146 may actuatea code bar arrangement of code bars 40 and 41 to selectively setT-levers for controlling the contact springs 48 to transmit a spacesignal. Unlike the character keys 16, the space bar 142 is urged to itsunoperated position by coiled springs 147 surrounding shanks 148extending downwardly (FIG. 3), from the cross-members 146.

The repeat key 140 is also provided with a coiled return spring 149 andas shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, has pivotally mounted on it, a repeat lever150 for cooperation with the blocking lever 116. The repeat lever 150 ispivotally mounted on the repeat key 140 and is normally urged to theposition shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 by a spring 151, suitable aperturesbeing formed in the shank of the repeat key 140 for receiving anextending arm 152 of the lever 150 and for receiving a locatingprojection 153 of the lever. The lever 150 is provided with atransversely extending portion 154 which extends over the upper end ofthe blocking lever 116 and is arranged to register with a notch 155 cutinto the upper end of the blocking lever 116 or to engage the upwardlyextending end 156 of the blocking lever 116, if the blocking lever 116is in the position shown in FIG. 3.

Operation In the operation of the apparatus the depressing of any one ofthe keys 16 by an operator will, in addition to manipulating the codebars 443 and 41, also oscillate the universal bail When the universalbail 98 is moved due to the depression of a key 16 or the space bar 142from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shown in FIG. 4, itwill rock the trip lever 104 clockwise (FIGS. 3 and 4) about the pivotrod 38 against the action of return spring 108. When the trip lever 104is thus rocked clockwise (FIG. 3), against the action of its spring 108,.it will engage the end of its horizontally extending arm 105 with thebent-over portion 113 of the intermediate lever 114 and will rock theintermediate lever 114 clockwise about the pivot rod 38. Since thebent-over portion 113 of the intermediate lever 114 also extends acrossthe blocking lever 116, the blocking lever 116 will likewise be rockedin a clockwise direction from the position shown in FIG. 3 to theposition shown in FIG. 4 thereby to release the lower end 109 of theblocking lever 1 16 from engagement with the clutch trip lever 66. Whenthe clutch trip lever 66 is released by the lower end 109 of theblocking lever 116, the spring 69 (FIG. 2) will move the clutch triplink 70 to the left (FIGS. 2 and 7) thereby to rock the tripping lever71 and the stop bail 82 clockwise (FIG. 7) about the clutch trip shaft72 to release the clutch shoe 84 and initiate a cycle of rotation of thedistributor drive shaft 87.

As the clutch trip lever 66 rocks clockwise about the shaft 68 it willmove up to position to lock all of the T- levers 39 in the positions towhich they have been set by their associated code bars 40 and 41 priorto the tripping of the clutch disc 86 and will also engage theundersurface of an arm 157 of the intermediate lever 114 to slide theintermediate lever 114 upwardly on the pivot rod 38 to a point where thebent-over portion 113 of the intermediate lever 114 moves out of thepath of the horizontally extending arm 105 of the trip lever 1114. Upondisengagement of the horizontally extending arm 1155 of the trip lever104 from the bent-over portion 113 of the intermediate lever 114 thespring 117 and the spring 115 will be permitted to restore the blockinglever 116 and intermediate lever 114 to the position shown in FIG. 4. Inthe position shown in FIG. 4 the intermediate lever 114 has returned toits original position. However, the blocking lever 116 will have movedits edge into engagement with the side of the clutch trip lever 66 sothat when the clutch trip lever 66 is restored to the position shown inFIGS. 2 and 3 the blocking lever 116 will be permitted to move under theinfluence of its spring 117 to position to carry its lower end 109 overthe upper edge of the clutch trip lever 66.

In the normal operation of the apparatus the actuation of a key 16 inthe keyboard will thus, through the cooper-- ation of the universal bail98, trip lever 104, and blocking lever 116, permit the clutch trip lever66 to trip the clutch. However, at the end of one cycle of rotation ofthe distributor shaft 37 the clutch trip lever 66 wili have been movedback to position below the lower end 109 of the blocking lever 116 andalthough the key 16 on the keyboard is held in its operated position theclutch will only go through one cycle due to the fact that although thetrip lever 104 is held in its actuated position as indicated in FIG. 4the intermediate lever 114 will not be permitted to move back to theposition shown in FIG. 3 because the bent-over portion 113 of it willengage the upper surface of the horizontally extending arm 165 of thetrip lever 194 and consequently the spring 117 will be permitted to rockthe blocking lever 116 to blocking relation with the clutch trip lever66. Thus, although a key 16 may be depressed and held in a depressed oractuated position only one permutation code signal will be trans mittedand the clutch will be tripped only one time until the key 16 isreleased to permit the universal bail 98 to move back to the positionshown in FIG. 3 thereby to permit the spring 115 to return the triplever 1114 to its unactuated position whereupon the spring 108 will bepermitted to move the intermediate lever 114 back to its unoperatedposition as shown in FIG. 3.

When the clutch trip lever 66 is restored to normal position as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3 by the restoring roller 92 acting on the restoring arm 81)of the tripping lever 71, the contact restoring lever 63 will also bemoved from the position shown in FIG. 4 to the position shown in FIG. 3to rock the contact spring restoring bail 53 to the position shown inFIG. 3.

If it is desired to send the same code combination repeatedly, therepeat key 140 may be operated and thereafter the key 16, representingthe character code combination to be transmitted over the signal linemay be depressed. As long as the repeat key 140 and the selected key 16are held operated the code combination, which had been set up by theactuation of a key 16, will be sent repeatedly by the distributor 13 dueto the fact that when the repeat key 140 is depressed it will move thetransversely extending portion 154 of the repeat lever 150 down onto theend 156 of the blocking lever 116 and when the blocking lever 116 isrocked clockwise from the position shown in FIG. 3 to the position shownin FIG. 4, the spring 151 will rock the repeat lever 150 into the notch155 of the blocking lever 116 thereby to hold the blocking lever in theposition shown in FIG. 4. With the blocking lever held in the positionshown in FIG. 4 the clutch trip lever 66 will be permitted to moveupwardly as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4, clockwise as viewed in FIG. 2, eachtime it is restored by the reset or restoring arm 81 Since the code bars40 and 41 will remain in the position to which they have been moved andin which they are held by the key 16 the T-levers 39 will remain intheir set positions and the code combination as selected by the key 16which was actuated prior to the actuation of the repeat key 141) willhave its code combination transmitted repeatedly. As soon as the repeatkey is released, its spring 149 will return it to the position shown inFIGS. 3 and 4 and the repeat lever 150 will therefore be moved out ofblocking engagement with the blocking lever 116.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention is shown in thedrawings and described in the foregoing specification, it will beunderstood that the invention is not limited to that specificembodiment, but is capable of modification and rearrangement, andsubstitution of parts and elements without departing from the scope ofthe invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A keyboard controlled telegraph transmitter comprising a plurality ofkeys, contacts permutatively controlled by said keys, a distributor forsequentially connecting said contacts to a transmission line, a clutchfor supplying driving power to said distributor, a clutch trip memberactuatable to initiate a cycle of operation of said distributor, meanscommon to said keys and operable upon actuation of any one of saidplurality of keys, a trip lever for actuation by said means common tosaid keys, an intermediate lever normally disposed for actuation by saidtrip lever and movable out of the position in which it is normallydisposed, and a blocking lever normally blocking operation of saidclutch trip member and movable out of blocking relation to said clutchtrip member by said intermediate lever, said intermediate lever havingan arm for engagement by the clutch trip member to move saidintermediate lever out of position to be actuated by the trip lever andfor engagement by the clutch trip lever to hold the intermediate leverin the position to which it is moved where it will release the blockinglever to re-engage with the clutch trip member thereby to prevent asecond tripping of the clutch until the actuated key is released.

2. A keyboard controlled telegraph transmitter comprising a plurality ofkeys, contacts permutatively controlled by said keys, a distributor forsequentially connecting said contacts to a transmission line, a clutchfor supplying driving power to said distributor, a clutch trip memberactuatable to initiate a cycle of operation of said distributor, auniversal bail common to said keys and operable upon actuation of anyone of said plurality of keys, a trip lever for actuation by saiduniversal bail, an oscillatable and reciprocatable intermediate levernormally disposed for oscillation by said trip lever and reciprocatableout of cooperative association with said trip lever, and a blockinglever normally blocking operation of said clutch trip member and movableout of blocking relation to said clutch trip member by oscillation ofsaid intermediate lever, said intermediate lever having an arm forengagement by the clutch trip member to reciprocate said intermediatelever out of cooperative association with the trip lever and forengagement by the clutch trip lever to hold the intermediate lever inthe position to which it is moved to release the blocking lever forre-engagement with the clutch trip member thereby to prevent a secondtripping of the clutch until the actuated key is released.

3. A keyboard controlled telegraph transmitter comprising a plurality ofkeys, contacts permutatively controlled by said keys, a distributor forsequentially connecting said contacts to a transmission line, a clutchfor supplying driving power to said distributor, a clutch trip memberactuatable to initiate a cycle of operation of said distributor, meanscommon to said keys and operable upon actuation of any one of saidplurality of keys, a trip lever for actuation by said means common tosaid keys, a slidably and pivotally supported intermediate levernormally disposed for pivoting movement by said trip lever and slidableout of cooperative association with said trip lever, and a blockinglever normally blocking operation of said clutch trip member and movableout of blocking relation to said clutch trip member by pivotal movementof said intermediate lever, said intermediate lever having an arm forengagement by the clutch trip member to slide said intermediate leverout of cooperative association with the trip lever and for engagement bythe clutch trip lever to hold the intermediate lever in the position towhich it is moved to release the blocking lever for re-engagement withthe clutch trip member thereby to prevent a second tripping of theclutch until the actuated key is released.

4. In a key controlled telegraph transmitter having a plurality ofpermutatively settable members, keys for actuating said members andcontacts controlled by said members, a cyclically operable distributorhaving transmitting segments connected to said contacts, a universalcontrol member operated by said keys each time any one of them isoperated, and means actuated by said universal control member forinitiating a single cycle of operation of said distributor each time akey is operated comprising a pivot rod, a trip lever oscillatable onsaid pivot rod by said universal control member, an intermediate leveroscillatably, and slidably mounted on said pivot rod for oscillation bysaid trip lever, a blocking lever oscillatable about said pivot rod froma blocking position to a. non-blocking position by said intermediatelever, a clutch trip lever normally blocked by said blocking lever andoperable to initiate a cycle of operation of said distributor when theblocking lever is moved to the nonblocking position, means on saidintermediate lever for engagement by said trip lever to oscillate theintermediate lever and for engagement by the clutch trip lever to slidethe intermediate lever out of position to be oscillated, and springmeans to oscillate the intermediate lever to position to release saidblocking lever for movement back to blocking position.

5. In a key controlled telegraph transmitter having a plurality ofpermutatively settable members, keys for actuating said members andcontacts controlled by said members, a cyclically operable distributorhaving transmitting segments connected to said contacts, a universalcontrol member operated by said keys each time any one of them isoperated, and means actuated by said universal control member forinitiating a single cycle of operation of said distributor each time akey is operated comprising a pivot rod, a trip lever oscillatable onsaid pivot rod by said universal control member, an intermediate leveroscillatably and slidably mounted on said pivot rod for oscillation bysaid trip lever, a blocking lever oscillatable about said pivot rod froma blocking position to a non-blocking position by said intermediatelever, a clutch trip lever normally blocked by said blocking lever andoperable to initiate a cycle of operation of said distributor when theblocking lever is moved to the nonblocking position, means in saiddistributor for restoring 55 lb trip lever to oscillate the intermediatelever and for engagement by the clutch trip lever to slide theintermediate lever out of position to be oscillated after eachoscillation of the intermediate lever, and spring means to oscillate theintermediate lever to position to release said blocking lever formovement back to blocking position.

6. In a key controlled telegraph transmitter having a plurality ofpermutatively settable members, keys for actuating said members andcontacts controlled by said members, a cyclically operable distributorhaving transmitting segments connected to said contacts, a universalcontrol member operated by said keys each time any one of them isoperated, and means actuated by said universal control member forinitiating a single cycle of operation of said distributor each time akey is operated comrising a pivot rod, a trip lever oscillatable on saidpivot rod by said universal control member, an intermediate leveroscillatably and slidably mounted on said pivot rod for oscillation bysaid trip lever, a blocking lever oscillatable about said pivot rod froma blocking position to a non-blocking position by said intermediatelever, a clutch trip lever normally blocked by said blocking lever andresiliently urged to move beyond said blocking lever to initiate a cycleof operation of said distributor when the blocking lever is moved to thenon-blocking position, means operated by said distributor to restoresaid clutch trip lever to its blocked position, means on saidintermediate lever for engagement by said trip lever to oscillate theintermediate lever and for engagement by the clutch trip lever to slidethe intermediate lever out of position to be oscillated, spring means tooscillate the intermediate lever to position to release said blockinglever for movement back to blocking position and spring means operableto restore the blocking lever to blocking position when it is releasedby the intermediate lever.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein manually operable meansare provided for selectively preventing the return of the blocking leverto blocking relation with the clutch trip lever to cause the distributorto operate continuously.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein a repeat key is providedhaving a repeat lever on it which upon operation of the repeat key,resiliently engages one surface of the blocking lever in blockingposition and which, upon operation of any one of the plurality of keysand consequent oscillation of the blocking lever, moves to engagementwith another surface of the blocking lever to prevent the blocking leverfrom returning to blocking position with respect to the clutch triplever, thereby to cause repeated cycles of the distributor and repeatedtransmission of the same code combination.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,595,472 Krum Aug. 10, 1926 2,250,717 Long et al. July 29, 19412,859,277 Pratt Nov. 4, 1958

1. A KEYBOARD CONTROLLED TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER COMPRISING A PLURALITY OFKEYS, CONTACTS PERMUTATIVELY CONTROLLED BY SAID KEYS, A DISTRIBUTOR FORSEQUENTIALLY CONNECTING SAID CONTACTS TO A TRANSMISSION LINE, A CLUTCHFOR SUPPLYING DRIVING POWER TO SAID DISTRIBUTOR, A CLUTCH TRIP MEMBERACTUATABLE TO INITIATE A CYCLE OF OPERATION OF SAID DISTRIBUTOR, MEANSCOMMON TO SAID KEYS AND OPERABLE UPON ACTUATION OF ANY ONE OF SAIDPLURALITY OF KEYS, A TRIP LEVER FOR ACTUATION BY SAID MEANS COMMON TOSAID KEYS, AN INTERMEDIATE LEVER NORMALLY DISPOSED FOR ACTUATION BY SAIDTRIP LEVER AND MOVABLE OUT OF THE POSITION IN WHICH IT IS NORMALLYDISPOSED, AND A BLOCKING LEVER NORMALLY BLOCKING OPERATION OF SAIDCLUTCH TRIP MEMBER AND MOVABLE OUT OF BLOCKING RELATION TO SAID CLUTCHTRIP MEMBER BY SAID INTERMEDIATE LEVER, SAID INTERMEDIATE LEVER HAVINGAN ARM FOR ENGAGEMENT BY THE CLUTCH TRIP MEMBER TO MOVE SAIDINTERMEDIATE LEVER OUT OF POSITION TO BE ACTUATED BY THE TRIP LEVER ANDFOR ENGAGEMENT BY THE CLUTCH TRIP LEVER TO HOLD THE INTERMEDIATE LEVERIN THE POSITION TO WHICH IT IS MOVED WHERE IT WILL